Pregnancy Style: Mother Of 6 (!) Astaire Woldemichael-Smith

We’re not sure exactly how we first stumbled upon the Instagram feed of Astaire Woldemichael-Smith, but once we did, our interest was definitely piqued. The Seattle-based mother of 6 (including a baby girl on the way) first grabbed us with her incredible pregnancy style (made up mostly of thrifted wares) and her beautifully curated, minimal-leaning photography. Soon after discovering her, we knew we had to get to know her better. Thankfully, we were able to book a shoot and interview her right in time. And we do mean right in time—her due date is none other than today! Click through our slideshow below to find out more about this resilient and inspiring stay-at-home mama and how pregnancy and childbirth feels when you’re a pro (her answer might surprise you!).

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"We're a family of 7—and very, very soon-to-be 8. My teen twin boys, Maddox and Malaki, are 13. Alexiah is 12. Ariyah is 9. Addis is 2 1/2. And Anaé is due November 27th."

"Maddox, Alexiah, and Ariyah were names chosen by their bio-dad. A little backstory there: I was in a common law relationship with my first four children's father. We separated in early 2011. We were together almost 7 years. There's a lot more to my story concerning that, but for now I'll get back to their names! I chose their middle names. Maddox Ezekiel—Ezekiel is a bible name. His twin brother Malaki was named by me, also a bible name, but spelt a little differently than it is in the bible (Malachi). It means 'my messenger,' the writer of the final chapter of the Old Testament. I remember loving that name at a young age and knew if I ever had a son one day I'd name him Malaki. Alexiah has my name, Astaire, as her middle name. It's an Ethiopian name. Ariyah's middle name is Esiral. It wasn't intentional, but it is the letters of Israel scrambled. I took two letters from each of her aunties' names—es from Jessica, ir from Kirstie, and al from Allison. Addis was a name chosen by me and my husband, Sam. I had thought of the name, but didn't tell anyone. Then he mentioned it to me one day and I'm like, 'Okay this is the one!' Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia, and it means new flower. Her middle name is Rose. We took that from Roosevelt Island in New York, where my husband and I met for the first time."

Love and light.

"The boys love to play basketball. Especially Maddox. Malaki is super into Fortnite, but we've stopped Fortnite since school started back up. He's very into shoes and technology. Alexiah has recently picked up calligraphy and has caught onto it super quickly. A friend of ours taught her one day and it's come to her so naturally. Ariyah loves baking. Addis' allergy is eggs and dairy, so her and I try out different recipes together. She does a few on her own. Her vegan banana muffins are bomb! Addis loves weird YouTube videos and playing with her siblings."

Sister-sister-sister.

"Actually, yes. I remember in junior high never knowing how to answer the question, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' besides knowing I wanted to be a mom. I decided then I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom with 3-5 kids. I've been so blessed to be able to become that and remain that since they've been alive. And soon surpass that 3-5 children desire. Ha!"

"The biggest joy for me has been watching them grow. Though it can be bittersweet, they're incredible and it's such a gift to witness their lives. We've all been through so much together and I think that it's contributed to their character and who they have become and are becoming. I find having many children is a benefit, though many people don't see it that way these days. They always have a companion. Having twin boys first, they've never experienced being an only child. And the girls are so close. It's so beautiful to watch them be so loving to each other."

"The joys have far outweighed the headaches. But I'd say the negatives would be the amount of bickering that goes on. Having multiple kids, this is definitely amplified. The stages of life some of the older kids are in most likely play a huge part in that, though. Teen boys and a preteen girl—the bickering and teenager angst is really real. Also, going out as a family costs a lot, so we don't get to do a ton. Though we have done a lot, it just might not be as much as smaller families get to do."

Astaire wears a Zara dress.

"Not really, I can't think of anything that's really stood out. There's the obvious like, 'Oh wow! You've got your hands full,' comments but those never offend me. I always think, 'Yes I do, but they're worth it.' We've actually received a lot more positive comments when out in public together concerning the size of our family. It almost comes across as refreshing to people at times. Like a throwback or feeling of nostalgia. We also live in south Seattle, which has a large immigrant population, so it's more normal to have larger families around here."

"This may be a super simple answer, but the ability, honor, and privilege it is to even be one. I know it's my calling in life. It's something that has come so naturally to me and for a long time I thought it was like that for everyone. The more I hear other women's stories, it causes me to mourn with them, but also reflect on the gift that is motherhood. That I've been able to grow 6 human beings inside of my body is mind-blowing."

"Falling short, but it's a reality. I will fall short often. I won't be the perfect parent. I don't want to screw them up."

Mama love.

"I think I've been so nervous and I'm struggling with that still. I really didn't think we'd have another, but here we are. It's happening—and very soon! I think with everything that's been going on in our lives this past year, it's honestly been tough to get excited. I feel terrible admitting that, but it's just the truth. I hope I can mother everyone well. I'm sure when I see her, the joy and excitement will overflow like it always has with each of them. Sometimes hard times can really fog the blessings. I need to intentionally, daily, lose focus of the negative even when the kids and husband are sick, teenagers moody as heck, I'm flooded with pregnancy hormones, and everyone is driving me crazy."

The nursery nook.

"I remember laying on the living room floor, the rest of the family lounging around me watching something on TV. I was scrolling through Instagram and noticed someone's name that I follow. It's a French name. I desired a French name this time around. My mother is part French. The girl's name on Instagram is Janaé. I thought to myself, 'I wonder if I dropped the J, would that work or is that even a real name?' The reason to drop the J is because all of our girls' names start with an A. So, I instantly Googled it. The meaning for Anaé popped up: Grace of God. That alone sealed the deal for me, but also it was of French and Hebrew origin. I remember yelling out, 'I have the name!' It was loved by everyone and felt right. Her middle name is Elle. My husband loves cities, especially New York and Chicago. This time he wanted to incorporate something from Chicago, since last time Addis's middle name had a connection to New York. He lived in Chicago for 10 years. He mentioned the El train and at first I laughed. But I said if we spell it Elle, I'm down! Elle means 'she' in French."

Personalized duds.

"This one has been pretty smooth, uneventful, healthy. It was a surprise pregnancy, so it was not a long road of trying. I've only had one high risk pregnancy and that was with the boys."

"I have a heightened sense of worry this time around. I can't really shake it. I'm nervous about the labor and the new adjustment. I think it's because we've had so many adjustments in the past few years. There's no special prep this time around. Just lots of praying. I have a low-key birth plan with my midwife. I might have some music in the room this time. Other than that, just a regular hospital birth, I'm planning on having an epidural, and this time a tubal ligation if all goes as planned. I'll have my husband and doula in the room."

"No actual celebrity mom role models, maybe an IG mom that I don't know personally. Kristen of @oldjoy cracks me up so often. I also admire her transparency and deep love for her children. I want to share like she does. My best friend and I are always sending each other her IG Stories (even though we both follow her, ha!). Also, some IRL moms for sure. My mother most definitely. She was a single mother and did her best to care for us in the midst of her struggles including, struggles with mental health (depression). I really respect her and love her and experienced her sacrifice first hand. I also was a single mother for a few years with my first four children, so I got to experience what she had with my siblings. Another mother I know that I look up to is my friend Nadia. She's a mother of 8 wonderful children. I've only known her for a couple years, but she is someone I look up to. Someone that gives me hope by just witnessing her and her family. We aren't super tight, but I'm super thankful I've met her and gotten to be around her. Also, my friend Stephanie. She's also someone I've known for just a couple of years, but I love her and I'm so thankful for the example she's been to myself and my children, as well. She loves so deeply and genuinely—her children, her husband, God, and everyone she comes in contact with. I want to be like her. She always wants to help and it's so real. It's a joy to her. She loves our children so much and loves to have them over for sleepovers with her 3 kids, so Sam and I can get a break. I've never had this type of help in my life until meeting her. I know my children are in great hands when they're with her and that means so much to a mother."

All the greige, please!

The cutest sneaker lineup.

"I haven't really dove deep into parenting resources. I'm open to it. There's one book I've started, but not finished. It's called Parenting by Paul David Tripp. He has some other online resources I'd like to get into with my husband. I have so much to learn now as we parent together. I've done most of the parenting on my own, so it's actually a massive adjustment for me to parent with someone else."

That throwback Guess patch!

"Like I mentioned, I was raised by a single mother. We moved around quite a bit. I'm from Canada. I've lived in three different provinces. Raised in the church. My grandparents were pastors and they played a very active role in my upbringing, as well. I'm so incredibly thankful for that."

"I do my best with what I know of my background. I don't know as much as I would have liked. My father is from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My parents divorced when I was 3 years old. I wasn't raised around him and didn't start seeing him for visits until I was around 9. So, around that time in my life is when I was introduced to the other half of me. That's when I tried the food, experienced the culture, went to hall parties, met many other Ethiopian people, and got to know my dad some. Right then I heard him in my laugh and saw where I got my love and talent to dance from. My children know and embrace their Ethiopian side proudly. They love the food and rep Ethiopian clothes sometimes. Our neighborhood has a strong Ethiopian community, as well. There are many Ethiopian restaurants and stores down the street. Their peers at school are always in disbelief when they tell them that they're part Ethiopian, because it isn't obvious at all with their mixture. Ariyah actually played an Ethiopian Angel in the short film/music video made in south Seattle by our close family friend Kai (a.k.a. Sango). My mother is French and Métis. Métis is another mixture in itself. By definition, Métis are members of ethnic groups native to Canada and parts of the United States that trace their descent to indigenous North Americans and European settlers—mostly French settlers. What I knew about my Métis side I learned in social studies class in elementary school in Canada. We didn't really eat the food much or participate in other Métis practices. We ate bannock, a special fried or baked bread, sometimes. So, that has been a challenge for me to teach the kids much of that side, as well."

Mirror, mirror.

Queue "Lean On Me."

"I think I'm definitely more laid back and my husband isn't. But my kids missed out on a lot in their more younger years when it came to having someone be tender and tough and saying 'no' more. Sam is a lot better at that than I am. Sometimes that is a challenge for me, but they need to hear that."

"We've been here since March 2016. It's an interesting place. We don't do a ton out in the city. It's a very dog-friendly place. I'd say it more dog-friendly than family-friendly. We don't have a dog, but that's cool for people with dogs. Sometimes it rubs us the wrong way."

"I feel bad I don't have many recommendations! I do got some food spots, though. Tacos Chukis for some amazing tacos. The pork one is my fave! We do have a Shake Shack now, but I haven't made it over there yet. I nursed Addis most of this pregnancy until finally weaning her a week before my due date, she resisted hard until that point. So, I had to cut dairy and eggs since she's allergic. That means either making things on my own or searching hard for foods I can have (I have some allergies as well). Mighty-O Donuts has amazing vegan donuts. The D'angelo—"Brown Sugar!"—latte with hemp milk at The Station coffee shop in Beacon Hill is so good. My amazing friend Stephanie, whom I mentioned as one of my mother role models, is a massage therapist and does prenatal massage. She's so good! We were over for dinner in October and she busted out her massage table and gave me one! She's located in Redmond, part of the greater Seattle area, and her IG handle is @rxreliefmt."

"We usually stay close by and walk to the nearby parks and basketball courts. We also love to go to Tacoma, another small city in the greater Seattle area and just 25 minutes south of us. I love going to their free conservatory in Wright Park. We also love to take the ferry and explore Vashon Island. I prefer shopping sans children when I can, and my go-to spot is Value Village in Tukwila. I love thrifting! I'd say 90% of our clothes are thrifted."

"I'd describe it as comfortable, slightly trendy at times, classic, simplistic, and minimal. I love black, white, grey, and neutrals."

Costume change for the twins, too.

"It's become more feminine and I'm wearing a lot more dresses."

Teenage mood.

"Pre-pregnancy, I'd say sweats or track pants, waffle-print long-sleeve shirts, styled with a dope jacket—I have a thing for jackets—and my current sneaker, all-black Nike Air Max 97's. During pregnancy my style is pretty much the same, but I need more belly and back support, so some good maternity leggings are key."

"I actually really enjoy styling the bump, especially this pregnancy. I felt my confidence heighten and felt more inspired than I have been in a long time."

Twinning, but not.

"Right now I'm really into North Face, Carhartt, Ralph Lauren, Champion, Reebok, Nike, and Adidas. Sport brands are classic and really in right now. I really enjoy shopping for the kids. The boys know I know what's cool. My son Malaki and I talk about fashion a lot more now. I also love thrifting and when I'm doing that, I'm looking for those brands or looking by color and textures. Thrifting designer brands and trendy brands is one of my favorite things. To find something well sought out or a vintage piece of designer clothing feels great. And knowing I paid so much less for what it would originally cost! One of my favorite recent finds was a pair of black Prada pants for $2.50."

"I grew up mostly in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I was born there and moved around a bunch in my younger years, but settled there from the end of elementary school until my late twenties. I got pregnant with my twins at 18 and didn't finish high school. I turned 19 three days after they were born. Education wise, I was presented an amazing opportunity to attend a theology course at the University of Alberta in 2011/2012 that happened through a humanities course I took at a women's shelter that both I and my four kids lived at for close to 7 months after leaving the relationship with their father. I'm so grateful for that opportunity. It was something I never expected I would have ever done. Because of the situation of being in the shelter, we couldn't work or go to school while there. It was a time of healing and education on abuse. They helped us get a place to live through low-income housing and for that time—during our time in the shelter and some time afterward—we were on income support. There's also this thing in Canada called the child tax benefit. Depending on how much taxable income you make, you get money each month for each child to help provide for their needs. So, for some time we lived off that and did well. Rent, food, and bills were covered. We had a 3-bedroom townhouse, I was still able to stay home, and I was able to work once Ariyah was in school full-time. I then got a lunch supervisor job at their school. I loved it. I loved being present at their school and the staff were the best. I really miss them. Especially Aleta. I've lived in Edmonton, Alberta. Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan at a very young age for a short amount of time. And Dawson Creek, British Columbia for a few years in early elementary school. I spent most of my life in Edmonton, though, and now I've been living in Seattle for 2 years, 9 months."

"Not really. Sometimes I'd like to go back to work. I think I may once the kids are grown more and once Anaé is in school full-time. I feel like it could help me find other parts of myself. Motherhood is really a beautiful sacrifice, but I'd like to learn and do more outside of that."

"Life-wise, I think after having Anaé I want to really take better care of myself. Knowing that this is truly my last baby, I'd love to accomplish getting in the best shape of my life somehow, but in a way that is fun to me, like dancing. I'd like to be more present with my husband and children. I've zoned out a lot in the thick of a lot of hardship in this pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. I want to be on my phone less and love and encourage my family and those around me more."

For more on Astaire, her family, and her new baby, be sure to follow her on Instagram.